Trailer adjustment for recovering straight

[Jonathan Stuart]

Hi,

Matt has produced a document detailing how to adjust trailers where the boat habitually recovers to one side rather than straight. I have added this to the Library:

http://www.swallowyachtsassociation.org/?page_id=1597

[stef]

Thank you for this information, I had this problem when we climbed the boat back from the holidays in Croatia.
Delicate for the boat before 2100 km of road to return in north Brittany.
I will make the settings of my trailer.

[BobT]

Jonathan,
Apologies for the slight hijacking of this post but I have an library article awaiting review. Is there something more I need to do for it to go public?
Thanks in advance,
Bob

[Rob Johnstone]

It helps if you use a couple of pieces of string to check the alignment of the wheels (a couple of laser pointers would be ace), rather than use too much trial and error!

[Jonathan Stuart]

Bob,

Sorry, I'm meant to receive notifications when a page requires approval but this doesn't always work. However, I've now approved your page and thank you for writing this.

[Rob Johnstone]

This perennial topic again. It occurs to be that one of the potential causes of this problem is the alingment of the"swinging" cross member at the rear of the trailer. The pivots on which this swings are held onto the box section longitudinal girders of the trailer by the inevitable U bolts. If the line between the centres of these pivots is not at right angles to the centre line of the trailer, this alone will make the boat track one way or the other as it is winched in. 
So, before taking a hammer to the roller sets on this swinging cross member, check the alignment.
CLH are a bit agricultural - I'd be surprised if alignment jigs exist for these items (see my previous posts on the alignment of axles), Perhaps Matt should add this comment to his note on the matter.